16 Event-Based Orchestration of Process Flow

The Event Framework integrated into PMF is an event-driven messaging framework that uses Apache Kafka (messaging server) to process information asynchronously and in near real-time. Producers that are either external applications or PMF internal processes, send messages (notify about an event occurrence) to Kafka Topic(s). Consumers, which are internal processes within PMF, read the messages from Kafka Topic(s) and execute other events or activities configured in the PMF Canvas. The framework uses the REST transfer protocol to send messages and the JSON data format to construct the messages.

Note:

The Event-Based Orchestration of Process Flow (based on Apache Kafka) feature requires that you apply the OFSAAIE Pack License in the OFSAA setup. For more information, see the OFSAAI Extension Pack Documentation.OFSAAI Extension Pack Documentation.

The notification of the generation of an event to a Topic can execute a workflow or any individual task asynchronously. Previously, the orchestration of workflows in PMF followed a synchronous pattern and executed the activities in the order of sequence configured. In other words, the execution or completion of the activity was required before another activity in the workflow could be executed. However, with the integration of the Event Framework, in addition to the existing sequential workflow, you can now also execute asynchronously not only the workflows constructed in the PMF canvas but also individual activities within the workflows and in any order of the desired configuration.

Figure 16-1 The Event-Based Process Flow Workflow